Power of a Name
by DJ Rocca
Summary: He only knew one way to stop her, it would take only one word, but it would break her and it was the last thing he wanted to do.  COMPLETE


Power of a Name

_Words have meaning and names have power  
><em>-Unknown

**Note**: I do not own "Once Upon A Time" and I do not make a profit from writing this story. I'm just amusing myself.  
><strong>Setting<strong>: Enchanted Forest  
><strong>Rating<strong>: PG13  
><strong>Warnings<strong>: None  
><strong>Prompts<strong>: onceuponaprompt (stop)  
><strong>Genre<strong>: Angst/Bittersweet Romance  
><strong>Word Count<strong>: 961  
><strong>Cast<strong>: (in order of appearance/mention) Rumpelstiltskin, Red Riding Hood  
><strong>Summary<strong>: He only knew one way to stop her, it would take only one word, but it would break her and it was the last thing he wanted to do.

"DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM ME!" His bellow echoed through the night. She stopped her stride, turned on her heel, eyes blazing. She stalked towards him, full of fire and rage, it aroused him. She was powerful as she was beautiful, there was no way he would let her leave him.

A cold grin appeared on her lips. "You cannot stop me," she stated simply, turning from him again. "You have no power of me."

She did not see the grin that appeared on his face, "Are you so sure?" he asked, once again stopping her in her tracks.

"You have not and you never will," she growled, continuing to leave him, he watched her get farther and farther from him, and it wrenched something deep within him. Something he thought he had let go of so long ago.

The words ripped from his lips, his voice breaking, "ADELINA! I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO!" his shout startled them both. It was like a wall of silence had fallen around them, not even the crickets chirped.

She looked shocked as he knew she would be. It was the last secret she had kept from him but little did she know that he knew her better than he lead on. That he had been alive long enough to hear word of a babe born that's beauty rivaled that of a Princess named from the snow she resembled. Both girls born with pale skin and ebony hair, one born to power, one born to destitute, one would eventually bring The Hope into the world, the other would be forever draped in red-be it blood or the cloak she used as a shield.

He could tell her that story, a prophecy woven on the day of her birth, but it would not interest her. It would only confirm her to the hellish path she was already on. Not only a Huntress but her ties to him would eventually be forged in her own blood. If only she knew what he saw…but he could not tell her, she would have to learn on her own. He was more than willing to exchange bits of knowledge for stolen moments with her, the fevered rushes kisses in broad daylight, the explicit whispers as he would back her against as tree...

"How?" she asked, there was no color in her face, her jaw was slack. She looked like she was going to be ill. "No one has called me that since I was a child. Not since that day."

He simply walked down the path, stepping in each one of her foot prints in the soft earth. "I have my ways, but no need to fret, my dear. Your secret is safe with me. It always has been. Now, will you forgive dear old Rumpelstiltskin and return to me?" he asked once he stopped, a few feet from her.

She looked so lost and honestly he could not blame her. He was well aware of the monster he had become but even monsters needed to be loved. He craved it more than anything in the world; all his powers left him empty and alone. She hesitated for a moment, and then crossed to him, as he took her hands; she looked down at him with a pained look.

"Do you forgive me?" he asked, his golden skin shimmered in the moonlight, it captivated her attention like it had years ago.

Her sad eyes locked his, "I have to. If I like it or not, you have all power over me now," he gave her a weak smile, pulling her closer to his face.

She shivered as he brushed his lips to hers, as he pulled his lips away from hers, he swallowed. "You're wrong, my girl. I have no power over you, it is you who wields the power, and may I say, you do it so cruelly."

Her brows furrowed, "How so?" she asked, and in a rush, he knew her thoughts. She was a mere moral Huntress, known as Red Riding Hood, not even her closest friends knew her real name. But apparently her should be enemy did and had never once called her on it, until now. Then it hit her, he never evoked her name until she walked away, he nodded.

"I cannot bear to watch you walk away from me. Too many others have done the same but none have broken my heart as much as you." His calloused hands stroked her face, "We are destined, my girl. I will never let you go, I will never leave you, and I will never let you walk away from me again." He swore to her, "Never."

She continued to keep her guard down in his presence and he could feel the maelstrom within her. His words had fallen like a weight, of love and sadness, pain and pleasure. She knew in that moment, no matter what the future held, he was right. She would always be his. That realization made her world stop and for that one second, she thought she knew love. He smiled, pressing his forehead to hers, confirming her own thoughts and emotions.

"This is love, dear; you will know no more truer love than mine. It is why you have the power of me, because you choose to love me back. The moment I dread the most is what almost played out tonight and I do not wish for that to happen again. Name something, anything and you shall have it in an instant." He said, in manner of apology.

A small smile appeared on her lips, "I would rather have you over any gold or jewels."

"Done." He said, promptly throwing himself upon her, bringing laughter to her lips.

-  
>END.<br>Read and Review


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